Process of reducing compounds.



I F. J. TONE, PROCESS OF RBDUOING COMPOUNDS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 18. 1905- PATBNTBD JAN. 29, 1907.

UNITED STATES FRANK J. TONE,

or NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK. I

PROCESS OF REDUCING COMPOUNDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Jan. 29, 1907.

Application filed December 16.1905. erial No. 292,038. a

To all whom it pray concern.-

Be it known that LFRANK J. TONE,of Nivagara Falls, Niagara county, New York,

' have invented a new and useful Process for furnaces in forming silicids of metals, in reducing silicon compounds, and in reducing ores of metals.

I While the process is especially applicable to and advantageous in the reduction of sili-i cious ores and the forming of silicids and alloys of silicon, at the same time it is also applicable to the reducing of ores generally; and to the making of alloysof silicon either from ores, metals, or metal compoundThe specific compounds to be reduced or combined which I describe herein are selected as types of my process, and the invention is not limited thereto. I

If in the manufacture of silicids, such as the silicids of manganese, a charge of silica, maid of manganese, and carbon is heated in. an electric-arc furnace of the type commonly employed for such purposes, an alloy or com pound of-silicon and manganese, is "obtained; but the loss of 'both silicon and manganese by vaporization is great, and such method is therefore objectionable. I have discovered that this loss can be largely prevented b using an electric furnace with a fused bat comprising the ore, compound, or metal, with a reducing agent andsolventor flux, such as lime or fluorspar.' This bath is interposed as a resistance conductor between the terminals of the electric furnace, and thereby the reduction is accomplished with little or no volatilization or loss'of metallic product. I

In carrying out my improved processfor the obtaining of manganese silicid as an example of, the process I may use the crucible 2, (shown in the figure,) which is made of suitable refractory material and may be provided with two tap-holes. The upper tap-hole 3 is used for removing the slag and the lower tap-hole 4 for drawing off the product. The cover 5 is provided with holes through which extend the two electrodes 6 6,

having the usual connections for electric current. The cover or roof is also preferably provided with a charging-hole 7,-which may or may not be provided with acover, and a gas outlet or vent 8. p

When manganese and silicon are to be combined, :the charge is preferably made up of manganese ore, such as manganese dioxid, and silica, carbon, and lime. ture I have found the following proportions to give successful results: thirty-eight parts of silica, twenty-four parts of manganese and dioxid, twenty-one parts of carbon, and seventeen parts of lime. This charge being introduced into the crucible is heated by the For this mixelectric current and melted to form a fused bath. The lower ends of the electrodes 6 6 are immersed in this bath, through which the circuit is completed. The heat generated by the resistance which the bath offers to the passage of the current is sufficient to accomi plish the reaction, and the metal or-alloy setles in the bottom of the receptacle as the layer marked 10 the slag overlying the metal, as shown at 9. The metal may then be tapped ofi', as desired, through the lower or metal tap-hole.

If metallic silicon is to .be produced, the silicious ore, with a suitablereducing agent and fluX,is introduced into the furnace, as

above described, and treated in the same manner.

In'the manufacture of the silicids 'or silicon compounds the metal itself may be used instead ofits oxid or other ore. For example, a silicid of iron and manganese may be obtained by using a charge of ferromanganese, silica, carbon, and flux.

The advantages of my invention result from the saving in product, since there is little or no loss from vaporization or otherwise during the reduction.

Various changes may be made in'the form and arran ement of the furnace, the ores, metals, re ucing agents, and fluxes, as Well as in the proportions, without departing from my invention.

I claim 1. The method of reducing silicon compounds, consisting in forming a fused bath of thecompound, together with a reducing agent. and a flux, interposing the fusedbath as a resistance-conductor between electrodes, and reducing the compound; substantially as described.

2. The rocess 'of forming silicids, consisting in orming a fused bath containing a silicon compound, metalliferous'material, a reducing agent and a flux, interposing such bath as a resistance-conductor between the electrodesof an electrical furnace, passing sufficient current through the bath to reduce the compounds and form a silicid, and col lecting the silicid substantially as described.

3. The process of making manganese silicids, which consists in interposing as a re sistance-conductor between the electrodes of an electric furnace a fused bath composed of a silicon compound, manganese ore, a reducing agent and a flux, passing sufficient current through said bath to reduce the silicon and manganese com ounds to form a manganese silicid, and collecting said silicid; substantially as described.

4. The process ofmaking silicid of manganese and iron, which consists in interposing as a resistance-conductor between the electrodes of an electric furnace a fused bath composed of a silicon compound, ferroman-- ganese, a reducing agent and a flux, passing sufficient current through said bath to reduce the silicon compound and cause it to unite with the ferromanganese, thereby forming a silicid of iron and man anese, and collecting said silicid; substantially as described.

5. The method of reducing silicon compounds, consisting in forming a fused bath of a mixture of the compound with a reducing agentand a flux, interposing the fused bath as a resistance-conductor between electrodes, passing sufficient current through the bath to reduce the compound and form a silicid without substantial volatilization, and col,

lecting said silicid; substantially as described In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK J. TONE.

Witnesses:

JOHN MILLE H. M. CoRwIN. 

